Erie

Erie is a city in Pennsylvania and the county seat of Erie County. Europeans first arrived in the region in 1753 when the French constructed Fort Presque Isle near present-day Erie, and the fort was abandoned by the French in 1760 during the French and Indian War; that same year, the British established a garrison at the old fort. In 1795, initial settlement of the area began, and it became a fishing, shipbuilding, and railroad hub during the mid-19th century. The city continued to grow due to its manufacturing base, and it attracted numerous waves of European immigrants for industrial jobs. The city experienced suburbanization after World War II, and it had a population of 98,593 people in 2016.